The NIAB WET Centre will be opened to growers, agronomists, and industry technologists to demonstrate new levels of precision in soft fruit production and its impact on sustainability at an Open Day on 9 May 2023, from 4-6pm.
The event will allow the industry to learn more about the impact of NIAB's findings in 2022 and what we are trying to learn in this season. NIAB WET Centre research leader Dr Mark Else will be joined by colleagues to explain how the Centre has evolved from demonstrating water use efficiency work to learning more about the impact of row position and tunnel environment on plant performance, Class 1 yields, and berry quality.
Those attending will be briefed on continuing work to match nitrogen supply to plant demand in raspberry, and recent research findings from Overland Ltd funded work on use and performance of re-cycled coir substrate. Visitors will also learn more about how the Growing Kent & Medway work programmes are supporting fruit businesses, along with a new ‘Business Sustainability Challenge’.
WET Centre consortium partners will also be on hand to explain how their latest technologies are supporting the Centre in its quest to improve precision and sustainability.
Commenting on the event, Dr Else explained that “The NIAB WET Centre has evolved so much since its initial remit to demonstrate best practice in water use, that we want to invite the industry to visit us more regularly to benefit from our progress in precision production and sustainability”.